The Secret to Perfect (Faux) Frying

You might not find discussions of pan frying or deep fat frying in most cookbooks geared to healthy cooking for obvious reasons. I guess that means that if we want to live a healthy lifestyle we will no longer enjoy the golden breading color on pieces of cooked Dover sole or the crunch we hear when we bite into a chicken leg coated in a crispy breading. Guess again! If you've said goodbye to those crispy cooked foods--say hello again! Faux frying creates a lighter version of the pan- or deep-fried foods that we all crave. It's simple, quick, and easy. Best of all, your home (and your hair) won't smell of a deep fat fryer for days after the meal.

First you need to understand the basic breading procedure that produces the golden brown crispy crust on fried or faux fried foods. You can fry almost anything, from chicken to pickles, zucchini to shrimp. The first step is to make sure your vegetable or protein is completely thawed and patted dry. Then comes a three-part breading process: dry, wet and dry again, which ensures a moist interior and crispy exterior.

Preheat the oven before you start--this is not a do-ahead or take-your-time project.

Coating food in a thin layer of flour will provide a protective barrier and keep the crust from getting soggy. Swap out white flour for whole wheat flour, or use oat or quinoa flour for a gluten-free breading, then layer in flavor with added seasonings such as paprika, black pepper, or dried herbs. Dip your to-be-fried food into the flour mixture to coat evenly, then shake off the excess.

Next comes the wet layer. You can use whole eggs, egg whites, or even a thin coat of yogurt. (Though you can season this layer, too, it isn’t necessary.) Work quickly. Just dip the food in and out of the wet mixture--don't let it soak--then shake off any excess.

The last step before the heat arrives is the crumb crust. Cover the item to be breaded with the crumbs or corn meal (which is gluten-free), pressing lightly to make sure they are evenly coated. Shake off the excess.

Get creative with the crust: Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), crumbled wheat bran, or crushed whole wheat crackers work great; so do corn meal and crushed rice cereal. Be sure to add in some flavor: citrus zest and shredded hard cheese like Parmesan, in addition to dried herbs and spices, make tasty additions.

Don't let your food sit around--cook it immediately. Once breaded, food can become soggy quickly. The key to avoiding a sticky gooey mess is to use one hand for the liquid ingredients and the other hand for dry ingredients.

Cook the breaded item on a cooling rack. The rack will expose the underside of the breaded item in the oven so the bottom does not get soggy.

Preheat oven to 375-425 degrees depending on the item breaded. The goal is to get the crumb crust brown while at the same time cooking the food to an appropriate temperature. Thin strips of vegetables can take a higher heat and less cooking time while a chicken leg requires a lower heat and long cooking time.

Try a two-step process of sautéing the breaded item first in a nonstick pan coated with cooking spray to get the crumbs crunchy then finish in the oven to cook the inside.

Give the breaded item a mist of cooking spray right before it goes in the oven or on the stove top to help along the browning of the crumbs.

Safety note: Due to its potentially hazardous ingredients such as eggs and the cross contamination with proteins, breading needs to be treated with care. Make only small batches of breading and discard any left after use. Use a separate breading station for vegetables and meats or just make sure you bread the vegetables first.

If you are looking for a new recipe to try out your new faux fry, try my Crunchy Mexican Chicken. You will be hooked and will wave goodbye to the deep fryer.

Made this tonight with Flax cereal as the coating (ground up with some spice) and plain Greek yogurt (forgot that it was so thick LOL) mixed with some pineapple juice as the binder. Excellent onion rings! Can't wait to try it on chicken next week.
- 6/6/2014 10:08:35 PM

I use skim milk for my liquid, and I also toast my breadcrumbs on a cookie sheet before I coat the meat. It really seals in the moisture and helps prevent it from getting soggy.
- 11/12/2013 2:05:06 PM

This blog is GOLDEN! I love to cook healthy and faux frying will become a part of my weekly cooking methods....with a lot of veggies! Thanks for a valuable blog, Chef Meg! You are now my #1 fave healthy chef! WOO HOO!
- 10/20/2012 11:54:07 AM

I use buttermilk instead of eggs as my wet ingredient and often use matzo meal for breading. As a side note I bake all my bacon on a raised rack, that way the fat drains away from the bacon itself making it crisper and reducing the fat.
- 10/17/2012 1:20:34 PM

Hi all. I am not much of a cook but trying to learn to make lower calorie versions such as this great non fry breaded recipe. A little unclear about what to make 'bread crumbs' from. Ideally I like the breaded type that shake n bake used to taste like. I wish I could make my own that tastes like that..
- 10/16/2012 10:52:31 PM

I don't think I have ever deep fried anything. I oven fry chicken, pork chops and my favorite--eggplant, for parm. Just slice the eggplant very thin and turn the oven up to 400 F.
- 10/16/2012 4:35:02 PM

I have tried this technique before with one or two of these ideas. Can't wait to put them all together and try again. Never thought of using the rack for this. I always learn something new from Chef Meg.
- 10/16/2012 8:53:00 AM

I Faux Fry Salmon Croquettes And They Are Better Than When I Used To Pan Fry Them. I Use Cracker Crumbs And Have Used Cornmeal. I've Also Faux Fried Pollock Using A Salt Free Fish Fry Coating. Thanks For Giving A Better Way To Do It!
- 10/16/2012 12:11:53 AM

I disagree with the "baked immediately." I've had better results when I allow the protein to rest on a wire rack or wax paper prior to baking. Then again, faux frying is also called "shake n bake" in my home.
- 10/15/2012 4:27:29 PM

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